Here in the Pacific Northwest, many homes have basements. These basements are sometimes built as part of the living space. However, in other cases, these spaces are empty shells, often used for storage or “bonus rooms” where people can set up exercise equipment or create a rec room. Having a big basement is an excellent asset to a house, but sometimes you want to do more with a basement to make it usable for living space. One easy way to do this is by installing one or more egress windows.
An egress window is a window that is large enough for someone to climb out of in an emergency. Building code requires that any space used as a bedroom or for living space must have an egress window. If your basement does not have one or if a specific room in your basement does not, that room cannot legally be used as a habitable space. But whatever your goals, the benefits of egress windows go far beyond meeting building code requirements.
Provide Emergency Access & Egress
Let’s address the safety reasons for having an egress window. Egress windows must be large enough for someone to climb through. They also need to provide a means of getting to safety. For example, if your basement is entirely below the ground, outside the window, there must be sufficient space and a way for someone to climb out of the window and up to the ground. If a fire starts upstairs, the egress window prevents people from being trapped in the basement. An egress window also allows emergency personnel to access the basement from the outside if necessary.
Bring Daylight Into Your Basement
One thing that many people don’t like about basements is that they can be dark. One or more egress windows can bring substantial amounts of daylight to this dark and dingy space, as well as sunshine for much-needed warmth. Because egress windows must be large enough for someone to climb through, if you place them well, you can brighten this space considerably, making it more appealing. With a few egress windows, bright new paint, and a carpet, your dark and unwelcome basement could soon become your favorite quiet, well-lighted space.
Ventilate Stale or Damp Air
In addition to light, an egress window provides ventilation. Basements can sometimes have a musty odor. In addition, that cold, closed-in space can sometimes get damp from condensation, especially if you put the water heater or the laundry room in there. On a nice day, you can open an egress window to provide some fresh air to the space, and the sunlight can warm it up. Your egress window will give stale or damp air an outlet and fresh air an opportunity to get in.
Create More Usable Space
One of the most significant benefits of an egress window is that it gives you options for usable space. Do you need a guest room? Do you want to rearrange how you use the house’s main floors? Do your growing children need some more elbow room for indoor play? Installing egress windows can transform your home by giving you much more liveable square footage. Your imagination and ingenuity are the only limitations on what you can do with your new space.
Increase Your Property Values
All of the benefits listed above mean that an egress window can increase the market value of your property. Egress windows make your basement more pleasant to the eye by making it lighter and brighter. The additional square footage of liveable space in your entire home means your home will be more marketable, even if you don’t develop the basement further.
Installing an egress window in your home can provide numerous benefits in terms of safety, aesthetics, comfort, utility, and home value. It is a wise investment that will pay dividends for years to come. 509 Concrete Cutting specializes in installing egress windows, providing turnkey service from permitting to final clean-up. If you want to find out how an egress window can improve your home, contact 509 Concrete Cutting and Egress Windows today.
